Sean pressed his lips against her forehead. “You don’t have to be brave, Soph.”
That’s when the tears started. After a half hour, she wondered if these tears that were so unlike her tears of joy from this morning, would ever stop. Not once did Sean flinch or pull away from her. He just sat there, holding her.
Finally after half of the box of Kleenex had been disposed of, he took her hand and led her over to the computer. He sat at his desk chair and pulled her onto his lap. Then he kissed her gently on the cheek, searching for words that would give her comfort, the words she needed to hear. “I’m not going anywhere, Sophie. I just want you to know that. I’m head over heels in love and I’m here to stay.”
She caught herself before the words thank you slipped out. Instead she whispered, “I know that, Sean.”
“I want to show you something.”
She sniffled and wiped her damp face with another tissue. “What is it?”
“Pictures.”
“Of my father?”
“No, I haven’t located any yet. These are your grandparents.”
Suddenly her breath had returned. “My grandparents. I have grandparents.” She stared at the computer screen as Sean scrolled through several photographs of a couple dancing and laughing and walking hand-in-hand.
“How did you get these?” She ran her fingers across the computer screen.
Sean shrugged. “I have my ways.”
She scrolled through the last few pictures, realizing what she was seeing. “But this is on the ship. You got some pictures from their cruise! Are they home?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“But, how—?” She turned from the computer, placing her hand lightly on his cheek. “How did you do this?”
“I called in a few favors.”
Her hands cupped his face and she pulled him closer so she could kiss him. “You’re incredible. When can we go see them?”
“Day after tomorrow. They’re scheduled to arrive home midday.”
“Perfect. We can head out first thing in the morning. There’s a stop I want to make en route.”
“Let me guess. San Jose?”
“There are some things I need to say to my mother.”
“Nervous?”
“I’m okay.” The nausea that had settled into her stomach, and her hands that were sore from their dedicated fisted positions, contradicted her.
Sean reached over and rubbed her two hands with one of his. “We won’t stay long. And I’ll be there with you.”
“Good. I’ll need that McCullough charm on my side.”
He winced. “About that—”
Sophie turned so she could take in every flinch and smile. “What? You didn’t exactly charm my mother?”
“Not exactly.”
“Didn’t think so.”
Sean laughed. “How did you know?”
“I know my mother. Charm only goes so far. Threats are a lot more effective.”
“Do you still want me to go in with you?” Suddenly he felt like a schoolboy debating whether or not it would help or hinder if he accompanied a friend or a cousin to the principal’s office.
“Absolutely. I’ll need that McCullough intimidation on my side.”
As soon as they pulled up to the curb outside Barbara Weldon’s house, Sophie jumped out of the truck. Before she could ring the doorbell, Sean grabbed her and hugged her. “Just keep thinking that two and a half hours from now you’ll be meeting your grandparents.”
Sophie smiled and reached for the doorbell. He had said the right thing.
As usual, Barbara Weldon answered with a phone attached to her ear. But this time she said, “I’ll have to call you back,” and hung it up. “Sophie! Darling! I wasn’t expecting—” When she noticed Sean standing to the side of the entrance, her expression changed. “You. Why did you bring him with you?”
“Nice to see you again too, Mrs. Weldon.” Sean couldn’t resist. However, he was having a bit of difficulty visualizing sitting down to Christmas dinner with this woman.
“We need to talk, Mother.”
Barbara Weldon stepped away from the door. “You found your father, I take it. So now you know. Now you know why I was trying to protect you from the sad pathetic truth.”
Sophie glanced up at Sean. They exchanged puzzled looks. Silently they agreed to let her mother talk. Eventually she would say enough to explain what she had meant by that comment.
Barbara Weldon turned away from the couple, rubbing her arms up and down as though, despite the ninety degree temperature, she were cold. “One stupid night of passion ruined my life,” she mumbled.
“Ruined your life? I ruined your life?”
She turned around to face her daughter. “That’s not what I meant. You know that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“I meant—I didn’t mean anything. I was just trying to protect you from that family. I didn’t want you to be part of a family that would bring you down, a family that was destined to never raise itself above poor white trash.”
Sophie was so stunned by her mother’s words that she could not even respond. She wanted to reach out and grab Sean’s hand, but she did not feel like explaining their relationship to her mother.
“I hope you weren’t too shocked when you saw him.” Barbara released a contemptuous laugh. “What was he like? Probably hasn’t changed much over the years. Except maybe to have a pot belly now undoubtedly. Was he wearing one of those hideous wife beaters? God knows why I—What did he say? Was he angry that I had kept you from him?” She shook her head, “No, he was probably relieved.”
“He’s dead. My father is dead.”
Her mother’s hand flew up to cover her mouth. Despite knowing her for twenty-six years, Sophie honestly did not know if the gesture was genuine or fake.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
Her mother shook her head. “No, of course I didn’t.”
Sean stepped forward, his arm gently touching Sophie’s as if to remind her that he was there to support her. “If you didn’t know he was dead, why did you tell me that any pain Sophie suffered was on my conscience?”
“I just told you. I was trying to protect her from finding out that her poor white trash father was an uneducated cook in a pathetic diner. I was trying to protect her from her father and his family.”
“From my grandparents?” Sophie whispered, and Sean knew she was focusing on two and a half hours from then.
“What happened to him?” Barbara avoided meeting Sophie’s eyes.
“He died in an accident five years ago,” Sophie told her.
Sean was convinced that Barbara Weldon really didn’t know. And here he had thought that the pain she had indicated Sophie might suffer was due to her father’s death. But clearly it was not about that. It was the fact that despite their having worked together in a tacky diner, her father was not good enough for the Weldons. She wasn’t protecting Sophie at all. She was protecting herself from humiliation.
Sean knew Sophie well enough to know that her father’s status in society would not bother her. That was not what would cause her pain. What did hurt her, however, was the knowledge that her mother considered the affair that had created her, an indiscretion that had ruined her life.
Chapter 23
“Something tells me your mother is not my biggest fan.” Sean pulled away from the curb and they both exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Something tells me you’re right.”
“In other words, you don’t think she’ll be inviting me for Christmas dinner anytime soon?”
“She will if she wants me to come.” Sophie stopped. “What am I saying? My mother has never cooked Christmas dinner in her life!”
“What did you eat?”
“Turkey. At Arielle’s. Except one year when Davie was really sick. I tried cooking a turkey myself but it didn’t come out so well.”
“Burned or raw?”
“I think both. And
before we moved to San Jose, I remember a couple times my mother picked up a ready-made turkey from the market.”
“Something you’ll never have to worry about again. My grandmother makes the most incredible turkey you’ll ever hope to eat. Melts in your mouth. Uncle Grant and Uncle Patrick try to outdo her every year, but they haven’t come close yet.”
“Three turkeys?” Sophie asked.
“To feed our brood? Four. Gram makes two to be sure everyone gets some of hers. And of course, there’s all the rest of the food. Lots of side dishes—pretty much whatever anyone wants to bring. Of course Uncle Palmer and Aunt Emily supply all the wine and beer and sodas which is easy because we have dinner at the pub. It’s the only place big enough to hold all of us inside for a sit-down meal, other than the B and B but we’d have to bring in tables and chairs. Aunt Nan makes the stuffing and gravy. And my mother does all the baking.”
“All?”
“Not alone. Most of the kids—meaning cousins—show up to help her.”
Sophie closed her eyes to visualize the group of McCullough cousins laughing as they stirred batter and rolled dough and covered each other in flour. “Do you help?”
“I’ve been known to roll out some dough for pie on occasion.”
“What about mashed potatoes and yams?”
“Of course. Aunt Emily makes enough to feed fifty people and Aunt Lana makes a truck load of mashed carrots and turnips.”
Sophie grimaced and looked over at Sean. “They’re delicious,” he assured her. “Wait until you taste them.”
“I can’t,” Sophie said.
“Can’t taste them?”
“Can’t wait,” she said. “What about your dad?”
Okay, he was seriously impressed. She had noticed that his father was the one person he’d left out. “What? Did you memorize all the McCullough aunts and uncles?”
“Sort of. He was the only one you didn’t mention.”
“He supplies most of the ingredients from the farm. Everyone else cooks the food.”
“Like a fine-tuned machine that works perfectly when everyone helps.”
“Pretty much,” he agreed.
“Will they be upset?”
He gave her a quick glance. “Upset about what?”
“Me. Us. My ditching Alex. Our being together.”
He should have put her mind at ease before she’d thought to ask the question. “No, they’ll be very happy for us.”
“Even Anne and Nan and Grant?”
“Even Anne and Nan and Grant.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know my family.” And he knew that as much as they adored Sophie, they recognized that she wasn’t the right woman for Alex.
Sophie exhaled a sigh of relief and reached over and rested her hand on Sean’s leg.
Quickly he grabbed it and removed it. “Sorry, beautiful, but if you want to get to Auburn today, it’s best you keep your hands to yourself.”
Sophie laughed, tempted to put it back and take him up on his threat, but she was too excited about the prospect of meeting her grandparents.
“Do you think we should call them first? I don’t want to shock them. You saw what my showing up unexpectedly did to David Culver.”
“Don’t worry. I called them.”
“You did? When?”
“Last night when they arrived back in Seattle. They spent the night there and are flying home today. I didn’t want them to be shocked either.” But it was a lot more than that. He did not want to set Sophie up for more disappointment. If he had joined Alex’s protect-Sophie club, so be it. But his motivation was different. He was protecting her, not himself from having to deal with her emotions.
“How did they react? What did they say? Did they know about me?”
“No. They had no idea that their son had a child. They don’t believe he knew either.”
“I didn’t think so.” Somehow she found comfort there. How could her father have been expected to come looking for her if he didn’t know she existed? “Were they receptive to my coming?”
“Over the moon.”
“Really?”
He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Really.”
“Really?” she repeated. He could feel her eyes vigilantly watching his every inflection and breath.
“They were a bit shocked.”
“I can imagine.”
“And they were being cautious, which is to be expected under the circumstances.”
“Of course.”
“I assured them that I had plenty of proof that you’re Michael Donahue’s daughter and their granddaughter.”
“And then?”
“Then they were over the moon.”
Two hours later, Sean pulled off the freeway at Old Town Auburn. He glanced over to see Sophie’s reaction. He was right. She did love it.
“It’s adorable,” she said, taking in the historical buildings. “Do they live near here?”
“Not far.” He pulled back onto the freeway and exited a few minutes later. He followed the directions he had memorized.
When he turned into a driveway, Sophie unhooked her seatbelt. “Why are you stopping?”
Sean nodded toward the mailbox that had Donahue printed boldly across it. “Oh! My grandparents’ mailbox.” She let out her breath. Suddenly it felt real.
They drove down the long driveway, past a fenced area that contained two horses. Two large golden retrievers were running toward them, greeting them with exuberant barks. “Does everyone who has horses have dogs?”
“They go together,” Sean said. “Actually most people who live in the country have dogs.”
“There they are!” Sophie started to open the door before Sean had stopped the truck. A grey-haired couple was standing at the bottom of the porch, waving frantically.
By the time he had stopped, tears were flowing down Sophie’s cheeks. Instinct must have kicked in. Unlike the day she had met David Culver, she knew this was her family.
Before he could put the truck in park and unhook his own seatbelt, she was in their arms. Sean grabbed the paperwork to show them, but he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be necessary.
Jim and Gina Donahue ushered them into the house where the whirring sound of the air conditioner infiltrated their conversation. It was a modest home, but perfect for a retired couple who wanted nothing more than to enjoy their time riding horses and sitting on the front porch and watching the sun go down.
While Gina and Sophie were seated on the living room couch, turning the pages of a photograph album, Jim pulled Sean aside.
“I have the paperwork if you’d like to see it,” Sean told him.
Jim extended his hand to shake Sean’s. “Not necessary. We’d know our granddaughter anywhere. She looks very much like my wife did when she was a young woman. Same beautiful eyes.” He released Sean’s hand and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I just wanted to thank you for finding us, for bringing her to us.”
“It’s my pleasure.” He looked over at the brilliant smile on Sophie’s face.
“You love her very much,” Jim said
“Yes.”
“When is the wedding?”
He’d forgotten he had explained to them on the phone that the reason Sophie had desperately wanted to find her father was so he could walk her down the aisle. He didn’t bother telling him that that particular wedding was off. “As soon as I can get her to marry me,” he answered.
“You’ll let us know? We’d like to be there.”
Sean put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “We wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sure Sophie will want you to walk her down the aisle.”
Jim swiped at his eyes again.
“Does she have other family? Cousins? Aunts and uncles?”
Jim shook his head. “Unfortunately no. Just us.”
“What about half brothers or sisters? I understand Michael was married at one time?”
Jim shook his head. �
��No children. She’s—”
“Your only grandchild.”
Jim swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. “She’s—Thank—We don’t know how we’ll ever thank—You’ve no idea—”
“Yeah, I think I do. Sophie’s been pretty much alone most of her life.”
“What about her mother?”
“Not really the motherly type.”
Jim looked over at Sophie, shaking his head. “You’d never know it. She’s the sweetest angel I’ve ever seen.”
“She is that,” Sean agreed. “Thanks to her best friend and her family.”
“Well, we’ll do our best to make up for lost time. We’re retired now, so we can pretty much spend our time wherever we want.”
“Would you consider moving down to Winslow or Canden Valley?”
“Is that where you’ll be settling down?”
Sean nodded. “It’s home to most of the McCullough family.”
“A big family?” Jim asked.
“You could say that.” He opted not to go into detail. “Once you catch your breath from this trip, why don’t you come visit us?”
Jim nodded. “I’m not sure Gina will want to stop to catch her breath. We could rev up the motor home and come on down whenever it’s convenient for the two of you. Is there a place we could park our motor home?”
Sean laughed. “Just a few. But if you’d rather not bring it, we have a very nice bed and breakfast in the village.”
“Expensive?” Jim asked. He knew what these places tended to cost in charming little villages not far from the ocean.
“Don’t worry about that,” Sean said. “I have connections. It’s where Sophie is staying now.”
“She’s not staying with you?” Jim asked.
“Long story,” Sean said, “We’ll tell you all about it when you come visit. But make it the weekend after this one if you don’t mind. We kind of have our hands full this weekend.”
“We might do better to stay in the RV. That way the dogs can come with us.”
Sean smiled. “Whatever you prefer, but the dogs won’t be a problem. They can stay at my parents’ farm. They’d have plenty of company. Or, if you’d like, you can use my apartment and I’ll stay with Sophie.” Not a bad idea, he decided. “You could keep the dogs with you there.”
Summer Day Dreams Page 25